Cloud waste usually hides in defaults and forgotten resources. A monthly cost review can unlock meaningful savings without slowing product teams.

Right-size compute and databases using real workload data, not peak assumptions. Remove idle resources and set auto-scaling boundaries with clear ownership.

Apply lifecycle policies for logs, snapshots, and object storage. Keeping everything forever is rarely necessary and silently inflates bills.

Create cost visibility by team and feature. When engineers can see the impact of architectural decisions, cost optimization becomes part of normal delivery.